I have always wanted to ride around the lake and last night was it.
What originally started as a quick ride, just kept going. I wanted to go check out the IronMan set up in Penticton and then, as a photographer, noticed the sun was at a perfect angle on the vineyards in the distance. Naramata has and endless amount of vineyards and as the sun dropped, I rode along making a mental note of various potential photo shoots and locations.
Chute Lake Resort – 11 km – the sign at the end of the road. 11 km isn’t that much, I will check it out.
A climb on a logging road and popping out of the woods into a clearing was this beautiful pristine lake, camp fires, a log cabin style chalet, people fly fishing and peace and quiet. Wow.
I had to stop and converse with the owners and they told me I could keep going and end up back in Kelowna. Awesome!
As I continued down the logging road, the sun dropped from my altitude and it was dusk. A giagantic cow moose stepped out onto the road in front of me about 50 feet and wasn’t going to move – so it appeared. After I stopped and we stared at one another a while – incredible creature – my horn honk eventually encouraged it back into the woods. Phew.
A little further 3 deer, a couple of bunnies that run as fast as I ride and then a tree frog hopping along. As it got darker I came out of the thick again and below were the lights of Kelowna and the lake just beyond the burned out timber from the Okanagan Mountain Park fire of 2003.
Magical!
Next time, I will ride to Vernon, come back down Westside Road and continue the rest – encompassing the entire lake. Here is a map if you are ever in the area.